For Immediate Release
Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2014
NSIC Media Relations

NSIC Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week
Jason Dowell (Senior, Wheaton, Ill. / Wheaton North HS)
MSU Moorhead

Jason Dowell won the Randy Smith Invitational title for second straight year as he ran the 8K course in a personal-best time of 24.41, winning the event by 15 seconds. He also helped the Dragons to the team title in the six team field.

NSIC Team Notes

Augustana
The No. 7 Vikings were idle last week.
Up Next: Roy Griak Invitational hosted by University of Minnesota (9/27)

Concordia-St. Paul
The Concordia-St. Paul cross country teams opened the 2014 season today at the 43rd Annual All-American Invite hosted by Luther College.
- Josh Smith finished in ninth place overall finish (7th collegiate) in a time of 20:59.8 as the team notched a sixth place finish.
 - Smith’s time was a new 4-mile record for the Concordia men.
- establishes a new Concordia school record at the 4 Mile distance improving his previous school record by 15.2 seconds.
Up Next: Roy Griak Invitational hosted by University of Minnesota (9/27)

University of Mary
- Placed third out of six teams at the Randy Smith Invitational in the team’s first meet of the season
- Posted 71 points, behind host MSU Moorhead (39) and Minnesota Duluth (44)
- Two runners placed in the top ten, freshman Kevin Carpenter (6th) and sophomore Thomas Neale (8th)
Up Next: Roy Griak Invitational hosted by University of Minnesota (9/27)

Minnesota Duluth
The UMD men’s cross country team competed in its first meet of the season in the Randy Smith Invitational.  - The Bulldogs finished 5 points behind the host Dragons in the meet for second place.
- UMD was led by senior Dan Nielsen, who took fourth out of 72 individuals with an 8K time of 25:27.42
- Fellow team captain Drew Johnson, a junior, was seventh (25:45.11).
Up Next: Roy Griak Invitational hosted by University of Minnesota (9/27)

Minnesota State
The Mavericks did not compete this weekend.
Up Next: Saturday at the St. Olaf Invitational in Northfield, Minn.

MSU Moorhead
Jason Dowell (Sr., Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North HS)
--Won the Randy Smith Invitational title for second straight year
--Effort helped Dragons to win in event
--Ran an 8K winning time of 24:41, winning event by 15 seconds.
--Time on Friday was a personal-best.
Up Next: Roy Griak Invitational hosted by University of Minnesota (9/27)

Northern State
The Wolves were idle last week.
Up Next: Roy Griak Invitational hosted by University of Minnesota (9/27)

Sioux Falls
The No. 17 Cougars were idle last week.
Up Next: Saturday, Sept. 20 at the St. Olaf (Minn.) Invitational.

Southwest Minnesota State
- Junior Alejandro Sanchez (Plano, Texas) placed second at the Border Battle Invite hosted by Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wis., this past Saturday.
- Sanchez finished the 8k race with a time of 27:04 to place second out of 80 runners and help SMSU earn a second place finish at the 10-team meet.
Up Next: at South Dakota State on Oct. 4 in Brookings, S.D.

St. Cloud State
- The St. Cloud State men’s cross country team will open its season on Sept. 20 with a trip to the St. Olaf Invitational in Northfield, Minn.
- The Huskies will be led this season by third-year head coach Eric Hanenberger.
- SCSU will host the Bob Waxlax Invitational on Oct. 24.  The race will be run on a course at the Wapicada G.C. in nearby Sauk Rapds.  The race is named in honor of the Huskies’ former track and field and cross country coach.
- The Huskies will return a solid core of veterans in 2014 including Chris Caron, Paul Greenwood, Ra’shad Harris, Johnathan Hess and Tom Mountain.

Wayne State
The Wildcats were idle last week.
Up Next: Roy Griak Invitational hosted by University of Minnesota (9/27)

Winona State
The Winona State men’s cross-country team came away with a fifth-place finish at the 8K Wisconsin-Parkside Midwest Open on Saturday.
- The Warriors’ top finisher at the meet was senior Billy Eifert, taking 19th place with a 8K time of 26:27.7.
- Sophomore Seth Reel was the Warriors second best runner of the day, finishing in 24th place
- Shane Carlson and Reed Parent also finished in the top half of the field.
Up Next: The Warriors will run in the St. Mary’s No Limit Invitational on September 26 in Winona, Minn.


Past NSIC Men’s CC Athletes of the Week
9/9/14 - Matt Horan, Sioux Falls
9/16/14 - Jason Dowell, MSU Moorhead

NSIC Cross Country Championship
NSIC Cross Country teams will compete in various meets throughout the fall with the season culminating in Wayne, Neb. on Saturday, November 8 at the NSIC Cross Country Championships.  The NCAA Regional will take place two weeks later on Saturday, November 22 again in Wayne, Neb. The NCAA DII National Cross Country Championships will be held on Saturday, December 6 at E.P. Tom Sawyer Park in Louisville, Ky. in conjunction  with the NCAA Fall Sports Festival.